I abhor unreality TV including all highly edited, agenda driven (profit) and almost exclusively horrendous depictions of random world and local occurrences packaged as something ambiguously called ‘the news’.

To fill this gap I like to meander into an alternate ‘news’ space. This is a space frequented by many a sociopath, though this is purely coincidental and not my attraction.

Suspending any conviction I have that something such as reality exists, let’s imagine that the reality I like to show up in my life is an amalgam of those outrageously positive kick arse memes that continually show up on my social media timelines.

Of course I am aware that the reason that this reality manifests is because I keep validating and encouraging the mysterious placement algorithm to continually satisfy my interest – positivity on tap.

The hint of cynicism however is not aimed at the purveyors of populist wisdom – for every story of some tragedy that has befallen someone I don’t know, or animal that that I’m conditioned to feel pangs of empathy for despite it never intersecting my daily life there are a million (more) stories that are of the other variety that alas go untold.

Back to the sociopaths. Every era has their ‘Rocky’ heroes. The eye of the tiger conquerors of adversity, the John Wayne’s (Google him!) Steve Jobs’ of tis world, and that brand of species we curiously label as ‘thought leaders’

We get pumped, well those of us with an aspirational affliction, inhaling the mantra of not giving a shit, never ever giving up, sleeping is for babies, it’s all about blind perseverance and WINNING…..

WINNING of course requires a victim, a loser. The name of the game is be more, do more, have more, and absolutely take no crap from anyone.

There are aspects of this game that feel good, great even, it’s in our DNA to different degrees to want to explore, climb higher, fight, rule, create, pro-create, and continually strive to defy and redefine what’s possible. If this sounds like you there’s a potential mission to Mars (one way) you might like to sign up for.

My heresy is in a lack of conviction in right or wrong. Context defines everything. A subtle altering in your wiring and perhaps you’re the next Hannibal Lector. On the almost infinite continuum of life from microbe to you and I we are the only species that can frame behaviour and even thoughts as right or wrong.

Sociopath’s have a slightly different empathy gene to you and I, Apologies if you are actually one of these sociopaths. They exist in relatively large numbers because society has needed them. War heroes in times of dire need often fit the bill and are rightly acclaimed. Corporate leaders with an ability to make decisions that impact the lives of thousands are equally equipped with this diluted empathy capacity, and rewarded richly.

It feels wrong, intended irony, to follow and consume the wisdom and energy of high achieving sociopaths but it’s energising. The pause for thought occurs when balancing the values of a reasonably socialised member of society (my suspicion) who appreciates an appetite for success and chasing big hairy audacious goals, with the yang of connectedness, significance, caring, and even that most anti ‘winner takes all’ philosophy of altruism.

I’ll continue to follow the sociopaths and take a few nibbles of blood from their neck but I don’t want to be one.